Rossini's perennially popular comic opera The Barber of Seville, based on Beaumarchais's comic and subversive play, given a fortnight ago at the Teatro alia Scala, Milan. Composed, legend has it, in the space of 13 days, 11 Barbiere di Siviglia had a disastrous premiere - stage accidents and a critical audience primed by a rival composer. But success swiftly followed. Count Almaviva, a Spanish nobleman, is in love with Rosina. She is the ward of the elderly Dr Bartolo, who plans to marry her himself. Almaviva enlists the help of the ingenious and scheming local barber - Figaro - and as the plot progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to tell whether master or servant is calling the shots.
Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alia
Scala, Milan, conductor Riccardo Chailly